The winners of the 2013 American League and National League MVPs will be announced Thursday. And while not everyone will agree with the choices, neither is likely to go down in baseball history as a head scratcher on par with the winners on this list.

We were looking for they guys who won the MVP despite not being among the 10 or 15 best players in their leagues. Here's what we came up with:
— Justin McGuire

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1. Dennis Eckersley, 1992 A’s

WAR: 2.92

Other stats: 7-1, 51 saves, 1.91 ERA, 93 strikeouts, 0.913 WHIP

The future Hall of Famer had a great year and helped lead the A's to the AL West title. But the reliever pitched just 80 innings the entire season. And considering Oakland won the division by six games, it's hard to see him as the true difference maker.

Who should have won?: Roger Clemens (8.85 WAR), Mike Mussina (8.21), Kirby Puckett (7.06) and Frank Thomas (6.99) had big years. Among players on playoff teams, Roberto Alomar of the Blue Jays (6.59) and Eck's teammate Mark McGwire (6.47) would have been better choices.

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2. Willie Stargell, 1979 Pirates

WAR: 2.53

Other stats: .281/.352./.552, 32 HR, 82 RBIs

Stargell actually shared the award with Keith Hernandez of the Cardinals. The 39-year-old had a solid, if unspectacular, season as the cleanup hitter for the team that went on to win the World Series. He was given extra credit by the writers for being the unquestioned leader of the Pirates. But ultimately, he just wasn't enough of an impact hitter to justify the selection.

Who should have won?: Dave Winfield (8.30 WAR) was the best NL player of 1979, but his Padres were one of the league's worst teams. Hernandez was a decent choice. Stargell's teammate Dave Parker had a better overall year (6.66 WAR).

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3. Juan Gonzalez, 1996 Rangers

WAR: 3.79

Other stats: .314/.368/.643, 47 HR, 144 RBI

Gonzalez had big Triple Crown stats for the AL West champs, and that explains why he won. But the right fielder walked just 45 times and scored only 89 runs while making few contributions on the basepaths or in the field.

Who should have won?: Looking back, it's hard to comprehend how anyone could have voted for Gonzalez over the Mariners' Ken Griffey Jr., a Gold Glove center fielder who hit 49 home runs, drove in 140 runs, scored 125 runs and stole 16 bases for a team that finished second.

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4. Jeff Burroughs, 1974 Rangers

WAR: 3.57

Other stats: .301/.397/.504, 25 HR, 118 RBIs

Burroughs led the AL in RBIs for a second-place team, had decent Triple Crown stats and was third in the league in walks, on-base percentage, total bases and slugging. He had a good year at the plate. But he was a slow right fielder of no particular defensive value.

Who should have won?: A trio of pitchers, Gaylord Perry (8.60), Fergie Jenkins (7.82) and Luis Tiant (7.92) led the league in WAR. Among position players, Rod Carew of the Twins (7.44) and Bobby Grich (7.30) of the AL East champion Orioles had the best years.

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5. Don Baylor, 1979 Angels

WAR: 3.71

Other stats: .296/.371/.530, 36 HR, 139 RBIs

Baylor led the league in RBIs for a first-place team, which always has been a sure way to get MVP votes. He stole 21 bases, but was caught 12 times. The left fielder/DH was just 10th in the league in OPS, not all that high considering he didn't contribute anything defensively.

Who should have won?: Fred Lynn of the Red Sox (8.86 WAR) and George Brett of the Royals (8.59) had big years. Among players on the the league's two playoff teams, the Angels' Bobby Grich (5.94) and Brian Downing (5.59) and the Orioles' Ken Singleton (5.27), Eddie Murray (4.92) and Mike Flanagan (3.91) finished with higher WARs than Baylor.

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6. Andre Dawson, 1987 Cubs

WAR: 4.00

Other stats: .287/.328/.568, 49 HR, 137 RBIs

The right fielder led the league in home runs and RBIs, but beyond that it's hard to see him as the MVP. He walked just 32 times and hit only 24 doubles. And away from Wrigley Field, he hit .246/.288 /.480. And his team finished last.

Who should have won?: Five — five! — fellow outfielders finished atop the league's WAR list that year, all well ahead of Dawson: Tony Gwynn (8.53), Eric Davis (7.89), Dale Murphy (7.72), Tim Raines (6.73) and Daryl Strawberry (6.41). Next was future Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, whose team finished in first place, 18 1/2 games ahead of the Cubs.

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7. Mo Vaughn, 1995 Red Sox

WAR: 4.30

Other stats: .300/.388/.575, 39 HR, 126 RBIs

Vaughn put up big home run and RBI numbers for a playoff team. Are you sensing a pattern here? Vaughn was a slow, defensively challenged first baseman who was just seventh in the league in OPS. That's the MVP?

Who should have won?: Lots of good candidates, but if the writers wanted to give it to a home run/RBI guy on a playoff team, Albert Belle (.317/.401/.690, 50 HR, 126 RBIs, 6.94 WAR) would have been a much better choice than Vaughn.

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8. Justin Morneau, 2006 Twins

WAR: 4.33

Other stats: .321/.375/.559, 34 HR, 130 RBIs

Here's that formula again: Big RBI number, good Triple Crown stats, playoff team. A first baseman with the eighth best OPS in the league, Morneau was barely in the Top 20 in WAR.

Who should have won?: Santana's Minnesota teammate, Johan Santana, led the league in WAR (7.53). Other players on playoff teams who deserved consideration: The Tigers' Carlos Guillen (5.97), the Yankees' Chien Ming-Wang (5.97) and Derek Jeter (5.52) and the Twins' Joe Mauer (5.80).

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9. Steve Garvey, 1974 Dodgers

WAR: 4.42

Other stats: .312/.342/.469, 21 HR, 111 RBIs

First baseman Garvey helped lead the Dodgers to the postseason for the first time in eight years, and he was rewarded for leading the team in RBIs. In reality, though, fellow Dodgers Jim Wynn (7.70 WAR), Andy Messersmith (6.56) and Ron Cey (4.84) had bigger years.

Who should have won?: A trio of future Hall of Famers, Mike Schmidt (9.96), Joe Morgan (8.62) and Johnny Bench (7.83), dominated the league. Wynn would have been a good choice as well.

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10. Jim Konstanty, 1950 Phillies

WAR: 4.38

Other stats: 16-7, 22 save, 2.66 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 1.039 WHIP

Konstanty became the first relief pitcher to win MVP after helping lead the Whiz Kid Phillies to the NL pennant. It was an interesting, non-conventional choice, but probably not the right one. He pitched 152 innings that year, more than modern relievers but still far fewer than dominant starters like his teammate Robin Roberts (304 1/3 innings pitched).

Who should have won?: Roberts (6.80 WAR) would have been good choice. Eddie Stanky (8.05), Jackie Robinson (7.47) and Stan Musial (7.29) were the league's top performers

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11. Mickey Cochrane, 1934 Tigers

WAR: 3.97

Other stats: .320/.428/.412, 2 HR, 76 RBIs

The future Hall of Fame catcher won the award largely because he also was manager of a Detroit team that won a surprising AL pennant. Still, it's kind of a hard pick to justify considering the competition.

Who should have won?: The Yankees' Lou Gehrig posted a 10.42 WAR en route to winning the Triple Crown. Yeah, he probably should have won the MVP.
(Charles Conlon/SN Archives)

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14. Yogi Berra, 1955 Yankees

WAR: 4.51

Other stats: .272/.349/.470, 27 HR, 108 RBIs

Everybody loves Yogi, including the MVP voters who gave him his third award in 1955. It was not a great choice.

Who should have won?: Berra's teammate Mickey Mantle (9.54 WAR) was the AL's best player but finished just fifth in the voting. He likely was penalized for driving in "only" 99 runs despite 37 home runs.

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14. Marty Marion, 1944 Cardinals

WAR: 4.72

Other stats: .267/.324/.362, 6 HR, 63 RBIs

A brilliant defensive shortstop on the World Series champion Cardinals, Marion simply didn't hit enough to justify winning the MVP.

Who should have won?: Another St. Louis player, future Hall of Famer Stan Musial, dominated the league (8.78 WAR). (Charles Conlon/SN Archives)

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15. George Bell, 1987 Blue Jays

WAR: 4.97

Other stats: .308/.352/.605, 47 HR, 134 RBIs

Another player who won based largely on big homer/RBI totals, Bell was an error-prone left fielder who walked just 32 times.

Who should have won?: Tigers SS Alan Trammell had a brilliant year (8.20 WAR) and his team beat out Bell's Jays to win the AL East title.
(Rich Pilling/SN Archives)

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16. Miguel Tejada, 2002 A’s

WAR: 5.60

Other stats: .308/.354/.508, 34 HR, 131 RBIs

A shortop who drove in 131 runs for a first-place team, Tejada proved irrestible to MVP voters. But a lack of walks and doubles meant his OPS didn't crack the league's top 10.

Who should have won?: Both fellow shortsop Alex Rodriguez (8.81 WAR) and Oakland teammate Barry Zito (7.13) would have been better choices.

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17. Jackie Jensen, 1958 Red Sox

WAR: 4.92 Other stats: .286/.396/.535, 35,122 RBIs, 9 SB

A right fielder, Jensen led the AL in RBIs for the second time and won the award largely because of that.

Who should have won?: Mickey Mantle had a typical Mickey Mantle year (8.66 WAR) for the World Series champion Yankees. (SN Archives)

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18. Juan Gonzalez, 1998 Rangers

18. Juan Gonzalez, 1998 Rangers (4.94)
WAR: 4.94

Other stats: .318/.366/.630, 45 HR, 157 RBIs

Gonzalez was better in 1998 than he was in 1996, though he still wasn't anywhere near being the league's most valuable player. But he put up an eye-popping RBI total for a playoff team.

Who should have won?: Alex Rodriguez (8.50 ERA) and Roger Clemens (8.16) were spectacular. Of if you prefer a player from a playoff team, Derek Jeter (7.53), Pedro Martinez (7.13), Nomar Garciaparra (7.06) and Ivan Rodriguez (6.41) all were strong candidates.

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19. Boog Powell, 1970 Orioles

WAR: 5.16

Other stats: .297/.412/.549, 35 HR, 114 RBIs

Powell's Orioles dominated the AL in 1970, and he was rewarded because he led the team in home runs and RBIs. A big, slow first baseman, Powell was one of the league's top hitters, but his overall game wasn't as good as many other players.

Who should have won?: Carl Yastrzemski was by far the league's top player (9.52 WAR) for a Red Sox team that finished with a winning record (though they were far behind the Orioles in the AL East).

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20. Ryan Howard, 2006 Phillies

WAR: 5.19

Other stats: .313/.425/.659, 58 HR, 149 RBIs

Huge Triple Crown numbers (especially home runs and RBIs) proved to be the difference once again. Howard certainly was one of the league's top hitters, but he wasn't the best overall player and his team didn't make the playoffs (which often is a deciding factor for voters).

Who should have won?: The Cardinals' Albert Pujols (8.45 WAR) and the Mets' Carlos Beltran (8.19) were great and their teams made the playoffs.